


The Tale of the Suicide and the Radio Demon

by Ari_the_Demonx1991



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: BDSM, Biblical Themes (Abrahamic Religions), Canon-Typical Violence, Darkness, Eventual Smut, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Seduction, Slow Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:42:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29105775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ari_the_Demonx1991/pseuds/Ari_the_Demonx1991
Summary: Ari arrives in Hell after committing suicide. She wants nothing to do with love due to the nature of her death and how it played a hand in it. Alastor, the infamous Radio Demon, who is thought to not be capable of love, is drawn to Ari after their first encounter. He is an overlord of Hell, feared by many as a deal maker and his brutality. She is a Church Grimm, a dangerous demon type that only exists in the nightmarish stories of the past. Usually killed on sight, Church Grimm are a mercifully rare demon type now thought to be extinct. But, upon her arrival during the Extermination, Ari will soon uncover why Church Grimm are usually destroyed. The reason? A being as old as time waits in the shadows....waiting for the perfect host to destroy Hell and begin the End of Days. Will Ari survive? Or will she wind up taking Hell with her when she falls?
Relationships: Alastor (Hazbin Hotel)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	1. Arrival into Hell

_I was perfectly content knocking the order of this pit of infernal suffering down into the ashes of the flames all on my own. I thought I would have no one, and would prefer to be alone. For after all, the lone wolf eats the most. Even if the overlords want to watch me fall, they never will. Why would, you ask?_

_Because I am the Radio Demon, and I am here to be the agent of chaos, and blaze a trail of terror and destruction in my wake._

_However, I failed to take you into account._

* * *

_KA-BOOM!_

That was all she remembered hearing before waking up in the realm she knew she was cursed to reside. After all, suicides had no place in heaven. Bummer. Looking around, she took in the sight of Hell itself. It was far more like New York City, except everywhere the eyes beheld was a token to sin. Brothels, bars, and drug dispensaries, and nothing left to the imagination. She felt out of place, and in her shyness that was obvious. A stress headache formed and as she went to clap her hands to her temples, she let out a yelp of pain. Looking at her hands, she expected her normal nails.

She gasped at the talons she now possessed, and as she looked down, she was relieved that her body hadn’t changed (she was still built like an a-typical senior in college) but was taken aback by the clothes. She had on a tight pair of black, torn pants, a red tube top and a black vest, spiked boots and bracelets. Her eyes widened at how pale she had become; she looked pretty, even for her! _I guess death was the only way to be pretty. _She grumbled. She grimaced as she noted from feel that her left eye still had the scar from her first fight. Damn it; she couldn’t escape that mar even in death!

She wandered over to a window, and her eyes widened even further. She had raven black hair that was akin to a lion’s mane, and her eyes……the irises were liquid silver, but her sclerae were black. She looked eerie, but the thought of her now demon form made her feel uncomfortable. She had grown up all her life being told that Hell was an abysmal pit. That the first thing that would happen was hellfire and burning! She felt no different than when she was alive. _So much for that…._ she grumbled mentally.

She wandered from her manifest point and looked around. Porno signs, signs for pimps and their crews, graffiti and flyers for shows holding debauchery with the highest regard littered the walls, the telephone poles and even the ground. She looked at their colors of reds, blacks and even purple. But, one white flyer stood out. Oddly enough, she was surprised to see this snowflake mixed in with leaves as a sign for a hotel; the _Happy Hotel_ , to be exact. Curious, she grabbed the sign and read. She was surprised to see its mission of rehabbing sinners. Could she possibly…?

A loud roar of fire, as well as screams sounded in the air. She felt her heart plummet to her gut. Something was wrong. She turned and saw massive collections of shadows bolt towards her. Instincts told her to run; she heeded them. The screams followed closely, and all they kept panicking over something called “the Radio Demon”, followed by panicked screams of the Extermination…. whatever that meant, she knew it was bad news.

An evil laugh filled the air, and in sheer panic, she dove away from the main road into an alleyway and hid behind a wall. The screams grew louder, and the laugh grew maniacal, and after minutes of her heart threatening to beat out of her chest from these horrific noises, the noise violently crashed into silence. She almost thought she was safe, until her gut instincts told her to keep quiet. She soon discovered why. Footsteps sounded, and she covered her mouth to prevent her hyperventilating from sounding into the air. They drew closer, and with every step, she noted they sounded like loafers ever so calmly clicking against the ground. That noise stopped five feet away from her hiding space.

Eyes widening, as well as sweat beading ferociously, she waited. A chortle of sorts escaped the source of fear; he (if she was right) sounded like a radio from the old days. She felt fear, and it was further driven through her widened eyes as a hand with reddish claws grabbed the wall’s end. She was less than five feet away from that hand, and she fought the urge to run. If she ran, he would see her; and she didn’t know if she could outrun him successfully. The voice spoke with a hint of amusement,

“My, my, someone is hiding from me…..” he inhaled, and she felt her gut plummet as he added, “A female; a _new one_ at that.”

_Oh fuck, oh FUCK! How did he know that!?_ She panicked internally. She swallowed back the screams that wanted to escape her throat, but before the male demon could move in to see her, a noise sounded outside her alleyway. He said with a tone that made her blood freeze,

“Stay still, little demoness. I’ll return shortly.”

She heard him follow the noise, and when she knew she could, she bolted. She ran into the heart of Hell, refusing to look back in case he was behind her. She bolted during the chaos and panic, only to sight winged creatures. She ran to them, catching one off guard as she ran to them. Were they authority figures? Maybe. But suddenly, before her words could even be mouthed, a lance dug into her shoulder, making her shriek in pain. The creatures chuckled, and one purred out,

“Not very bright, are you little filth?”

She panicked, and saw an opening to escape. Before the creatures could surround her completely, she took her chance and bolted. She heard screams, screams of pain and fear and death. Was this the genuine nature of Hell??? Suddenly, a body was flung into a wall next to her that she was losing sight of as she gained distance from the scene. Tall, and dedicated to the colors red and black, she saw his clawed hands, and gasped. It was...A large group of the creatures pinned him by spear point and began to stab him. His screams sounded, but the demoness suddenly turned back. He tried to kill her! Why was she doing this!? She didn't care; she wasn't going to watch him die.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!!!” She snarled violently.

The Radio Demon, beginning to black out from blood loss suddenly startled as the demoness stood before his body, shielding him. Her body took a spear, only for her silver eyes to turn red, a set of dog ears and a tail black as the night sky and her clothes were replaced by fur. His hair was matted from his own blood; his permanent smile flickered in bemusement. His name was Alastor, and he weakly tried to stand, but his legs gave out. Alastor was shocked. Why....? He wanted to ask, but twice the words rose to his lips and failed to pass them.

The creatures were suddenly afraid, especially as she pulled the spear from her body. She snapped it, lunged forward and began to devour the angelic like being. The being screamed in terror, clawing, fighting and desperate to get away. Its flails ceased after minutes of agonized screaming into Death’s arms, and she up-righted as the others backed away, and flew away back to whence they came. She reverted to the small timid looking female he had seen earlier, and she scooped him up and ran. She ran to an alleyway, not sensing the two shadows quickly following them. Ari laid him down upon the ground as she looked at the Radio Demon, whose eyes were radio dials, and he quickly went to back away only to have his body cave out in exhaustion. He growled and hissed as his companion raised a hand and began to hum. Suddenly, her soft alto voice rang out in song,

_Cruel and cold, like winds on the sea/Will you ever return to me?_

Alastor stiffened at the soft tone of the female's song. Her voice...it was so soft. Like she was singing to a frightened child....He usually liked music, and this lullaby like song made his senses dull. His eyes returned to almost normal. She felt her eyes haze as she felt a soft power fill her hand and gently placed it upon his wounds. She added with a soft alto ring,

_Hear my voice/Sing with the tide/My love will never die..._

_It's beautiful..._ Alastor found himself musing. Her hands warmed. Was it from his blood? And the pain...it was vanishing. Like it was an afterthought. If this was second death, then it wasn’t as horrific as he thought. She kept singing, the song bringing him memories of the docks from his old home in Louisiana. She was softly singing the pain away.

_Over waves/ and deep in the blue/I would give up my--_

Suddenly as she was continuing this serenade, Alastor heard a familiar growl sound out into the air. He flinched at the softness being cut. It was replaced by the canine like growl escaping the air behind them. Threatening and foreboding, it rumbled out,

“Back away... _now._ ”

Another voice snarled and the demoness heard the unsheathing of a knife. The first demon to speak was tall and of muscular build, had a war hardened and scarred face, and his clothes were that of cloth and chainmail. Leather boots donned his feet and heavily clunked as they walked towards her in a threatening manner. Fearful of confrontation, she got up and like a shadow, disappeared into the air. Alastor, clearly out of it, panicked, looked for the source of the soft song that was easing him into peace. He gasped out in despair,

“No, wait! Come back!”

The second demon was a woman with long white hair, dressed in a pastel dress and was sporting an X shaped eye-patch. She was also wearing a pink bow. She sheathed her knife, and she snarled angrily, “Fucking corpse collectors!!” Alastor felt her kneel next to him, and he snarled angrily,

“Vaggie, you dolt! She wasn't a damned collector! She was...She was helping me...”

“Alastor, you're hurt! You've lost your fucking mind!” She started, and with a side glance she beckoned over the other demon.

With a clanking of boots, he reached down and scooped up the rabid yet weakened Alastor. He saw the stab wounds that had shredded the usually dapper demon's suit. Only, there were _no wounds_ to speak of. He felt a brow raise. He looked to Vaggie, and said softly,

“Vaggie, he's right...There's not a scratch on him. I observed him be stabbed at least ten times.”  
  
“That's not possible, Canis!” Vaggie gasped.

They walked out as fireworks sounded out into Hell. A bright and cheery signal to the end of a nightmare. Charlie’s signal of the extermination being over had demons clambering out of their dens. Suddenly, they came across what was left of the angel's body. Vaggie almost went white. Nothing, and she knew _nothing_ down in Hell could've (or would've) done this to an Exorcist willingly. She looked to Alastor, who was still loopy from the blood loss. How? She knew Alastor was supposed to be dead! How did he...? She thought back to the female demon and her haunting song. Her hands were glowing with an ice blue fire, and her eyes were silver...like the moon. How had she done it?

They still couldn't figure out how (or even why) she had healed Alastor as they returned to the hotel. Angel unbarred the door as he heard the booming knock from Canis' fist. He anxiously flung the door open and began to demand,

“IS SMILES O--?!” Seeing Alastor in Canis' grip, a quizzical look crossed the spider demon's face as he asked in confusion, “Why ya carryin' him if he ain't hurt?”

Canis just rolled his eyes, placed the disgruntled deer demon on the couch, and looked to the worried Charlie. He bowed, and said with a crisp tone,

“I found him as promised, Miss Charlotte. I must return to your father. Please, make Alastor refrain from doing anything foolish.”

He left, but Ari’s arrival had attracted someone’s attention….Someone that Hell wished it could forget.

* * *

_She’s here…..FINALLY, she’s here……_ the shadows whispered excitedly.

The laboratory where they were writhing and possessing was shrouded in wriggling darkness. Amid this mass of black was a figure. Dressed in a dull leather cloak, hat and gloves, the figure melded in with the shadows within the exception of a stab of white in the guise of a plague mask. Even then, the eyes of the mask were hollow, like two mouths of a cave. Void of emotion, they were unnerving to glance upon. The beaked mask bobbed in a nod, and the figure spoke with a German accent as it prepared to go out and find its master’s target,

“Ja…The Fraulein has finally made her grand entrance….” A cryptic and eldritch grin sliced through the mask as he added, “Und I can’t wait to see her take the pretender down…..”


	2. The Chase Begins

_Hear my voice..._

Alastor woke up for the fourth time that night. Charlie insisted that he get bed rest, and Angel, Vaggie and Husk kept running him things. Whatever he desired. He didn't dare admit what he wanted was not within the hotel but was hiding out in Hell. Somewhere, out there waiting for him.

He cursed Vaggie for chasing her off. If only the tempestuous moth paid attention! She was trying to help him! Hell, she had. He may have had to recoup his blood lost, but the injuries were good as fixed. Like he was never stabbed by an angelic blade. He grinned with narrowed eyes; he never thought a demon could heal by touch. Better yet, he never thought a female demon could look so beautiful.

“ _Beata Maria_...what am I doing?” Alastor gasped in shock.

Grimacing at the use of a holy name, he was stunned. He was never rendered such a mess by any woman before! And he knew hundreds who could sing! _Then again, none of them ever sang like her before..._ He punched his pillow. Her voice was haunting, and he couldn't drive her sweet alto voice and tone out of his thoughts. He weakly sat up and began to hum the soft song she had sung to him. In his tenor, he sang out,

“ _Cruel and cold, like winds on the sea/Will you ever return to me?_ ”

He weakly stood and walked to his window. Flinging the window open and walking out to the balcony, he sang out the prior lyrics while using his microphone to broadcast the song. A deepening grin as he realized the game was set, he added with his malignant tenor,

“ _Hear my voice/Sing with the tide/My love will never die..._ ” holding the microphone to his lips, he added with a showman's flare, “This lovely tune was serenaded to me tonight. If my lupine siren is hearing this, know that the hunting game has begun. I _will_ find you, darling...make no mistake about that.”

* * *

“Are you certain she healed him with just a touch?”

Canis knelt in front of an elaborate desk and armchair. The office was sumptuously decorated, and the owner was seated with his back to the fireplace roaring in the background. In a white and red suit bedecked with gold accents and cufflinks, a stovepipe hat adorned with an apple and serpent that hid his blonde hair, and yellow serpentine eyes, and black boots, Canis nodded to his master's question.

“Yes, my lord Lucifer. She healed angelic blade injuries as if they were mere cuts. Does this mean she---?” he began to ask.

Lucifer raised a hand to silence Canis. He got quiet. No angel would be formed down here. _Father and Michael wouldn't condemn a pure soul to a fate like that._ And judging her devouring an Exorcist....that meant only one thing. Canis' report of her changing into a lupine like creature with red eyes from original silver made all of it make a dangerous four. Suddenly, the radio played Alastor's broadcast. He felt his grin flicker but picking up Alastor's tone made his eyes widen in surprise. He smiled wickedly.

“It seems Alastor is enchanted with his Church Grimm...” he purred.

Canis' black eyes and weathered face betrayed no surprise, fear.... not even a smirk about being right. But, Church Grimm in Hell were heard of, but they were barely around long enough to study. A Grimm upon discovery was hunted and killed immediately. All because of their reputation. A being that became stronger upon devouring a demon, and what it was rumored to be.... he whispered softly as he expressed what sounded like sympathy for the rare creature,

“So, it's true. A Church Grimm _has_ surfaced into Hell.” looking to Lucifer, he asked with a soft tone, “I beseech to speak to Minos. I need to know more about Church Grimm, so perhaps I can help Miss Charlotte help her.”

Lucifer pondered as he manifested a glass of scotch. He smiled after a couple of sips and turned back to Canis. He nodded and gave Canis the clear. Canis bowed at the hip and backed out of Lucifer's study room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Alastor’s target was on the move. The entirety of Hell was alert and functioning after the Extermination…And she so far had so many questions that wouldn’t be answered. Her name was Ari, and she was hopelessly lost. She suddenly felt a prickle creep down her neck. It wasn’t the intense stares of the other demons. No, it was another’s gaze. She lightly turned, to see who was staring at her so intently. However, a soft scraping and sloshing noise sounded to her left, and she whirled to see what it was.

A tall figure was scooping the bodies of the massacre off the ground, their blood leaving a trail of ruby red. She let her gaze trail up, only to catch the beak of a mask she recognized immediately… _a plague mask._ The figure was dressed head to toe in black leather that dully gleamed in the light of the red sky. His white mask was starkly contrasted….and it made Ari nervous. He slowed at his work, and he turned face on as if he just noticed she was there. The mask’s eyes were void black, hollow like the mouth of a cave. She froze, clearly terrified. With a twisted fanged grin, the figure inquired in a heavy German (it sounded German at least) accent,

“What are you doing out here so early little one?” he took a step forward and added, “The only ones who come out this early are the corpse collectors…”

A demented yet amused chuckle rumbled in his throat as he advanced towards her slowly. She backed away rather quickly, for whoever this was they were unnerving. Even more so than the previous Radio Demon she had encountered. The figure purred out,

“Aww, don’t be afraid. I assure you, there are more dangerous demons down here than I.”

The woman before him, realizing something was seriously wrong almost froze completely in terror. That was, until an old and panicked voice raged in her head, _RUN!!!!!_ Heeding the strange voice, she quickly turned and fled. Hearing the hastened footsteps behind her, she panicked as maniacal laughter erupted into the streets. Not caring how, she began to look for means of escape. She came to cross-roads, only to hear a maniacal chuckle and him asking,

“Where are you going little one?”

She ran and finally crashed into a crowd. She used the ability to meld and melt into it. She felt him back down, but she swore the wind carried a soft whisper into her ear. The whisper hissed out in inherent delight,

“Don’t worry Fraulein…. We will be speaking soon.”

Not daring to look back, she kept moving. She needed to find somewhere to sleep tonight…. Somewhere that creepy plague doctor wouldn’t tread. She sighed and rounded a corner as she began to look for shelter.

She felt the stares as she neared the woods. They were looking at her as if she had been touched by insanity. However, she felt the doctor’s presence be severely dwindled here. This would be the perfect place to hide. So, she ignored the whispers of shock and chuckles of “Well, dead demon walking!” She wasn’t sure why they were saying this. But whatever it was, she would worry about it later.

She looked up at a tall tree and smiled. She went to climb, only to feel a sudden popping sensation, and heard the rustle of wings… _Wait a damned minute! Wings?_ She looked down at herself and noticed she looked…. different. She gasped, only to hear a throaty caw escape her throat. She realized she had changed into a raven…But—But how?! She flew up into the tree, only to hear a violent caw escape a large and scarred raven. It moved to chase her out of its tree. She went to fight it, only to see something wrapped around its leg. Her eyes widened in tears.

There, raveled around its leg was a blue and silver ribbon. Although worn and fraying the female demon recognized it. She reverted to her human form, and said with a soft sob,

“Eragon….?”

The raven looked at her and cawed in confusion. Its beady red eyes locked onto her face, and suddenly it clambered up to her, letting out fledgling noises as it realized she was his old life’s mother. Ari wept as she petted and caressed Eragon. She remembered her old raven. She had raised him from hatchling to full fledged raven. She also remembered finding him dead because of her…. Her hand tightened near Eragon, who crooned happily and nuzzled her hand. It seemed even as a Carrion Crow, Eragon could not forget who raised him. And he held her no ill will. He was always a mama’s boy.

He turned to the other tree, which upon his croon, a large murder flocked around Ari. She felt at first a little nervous, but when Eragon crooned and nestled against her Ari felt safe. The crows crooned and went back to sleep, and Eragon looked at Ari with a look that was read as: If something comes, we will wake you up.

Ari nodded, and curled up against the trunk and branch and fell asleep.

* * *

Alastor was sleeplessly resting. He tried returning to sleep's embrace, but all he could dream of was her. He awoke at three AM. He growled and walked to his dresser. The shadows opened it, and he donned his suit, his small frame filling the cloth. He decided to start the hunt. He had to find her. Donning his shoes, he conjured his staff and walked to the entrance of the hotel. Vaggie was waiting at the entrance. She looked as Alastor waltzed to the streets. She didn't know what Alastor wanted with the woman, but it couldn't be good. She fixed him an uneasy look. Should she wake Charlie..? But she knew. It wouldn't stop him.

“Please Alastor.....Don't kill her.” She whispered sadly.

And with that, the doors shut, and Alastor began his chase.


	3. The Chase Resumes

The month of carnage that followed was legendary. Alastor was out every other night, hunting the demoness down. Since every night he couldn’t find her, it was always another night of intense broadcasting of his carnage. Ruthless, and cruel in his killings, many thought the Radio Demon had lost his mind. That was, until they all listened to his reasons for the almost psychotic need for violence.

Alastor was yearning, no, pining in his loss of the demoness who had helped him survive what was affectionately called ‘double death’. Tonight, was no different. He stepped down upon the skull of a fallen demon, unfazed of the sickening crack of bone under his heel. Even his famous Cheshire grin seemed strained. He couldn’t believe it! He had been hunting in every part of Hell for the past month and there was no sign of her!

His gut gnarled in a horrid thought. What if she…What if she was dead? Or worse; what if an overlord stole her away from him? He felt his blood boil at the thought, but suddenly his angered face broke into a shocked smile and a raucous laugh escaped him. He thought Husker was bad when he pined for his alcohol! Was that demoness simply a hallucination? She had to be. A pipedream brought on by blood loss. He sighed after a sharp chuckle. He felt his voice open, but instead of his usual chipper tone, he was shocked to hear a tone of melancholy utter,

“What a shame….I was hoping you were real.”

He spun on his heel, setting that part of the city ablaze. He felt a tightening in his chest; was it from his false hope of finding her? He brushed it off. He had to now. There was no sense in continuing this fruitless search. He did the one thing he was always proficient at.

He walked away.

* * *

“ _Where are you going little one?_ ”

She was running from him again. Ari was getting sick and tired of not being able to leave the tree without being chased down like a dog. The carrion crows (all one hundred of them) had swarmed the plague doctor, giving her time to flee. She was shocked how fast she was moving, and she felt the murder fly and usher her away. The doctor’s hands threw a sharp needle like blade at her, and barely missed her legs but their sharpness became apparent as they embedded into the pavement. However, as she climbed up the fence, one needle found its mark into her shoulder. She screamed in agony and fell from the top of the fence. She pulled the blade out, and none too soon, for as she dropped it, it hissed and fizzled. She saw the doctor stop at the fence, and Eragon pelted him and beat him with his wings. The murder ushered her away, Eragon in tow.

She turned right on the street, and watched as the murder scattered away. She went to shift and follow, only to run head on into a taller, gray, and pastel laden demon with long hair, pink and yellow eyes with one patched over with an X. She was standing near a limo, and she looked at the girl who had hit the ground after the collision. She was about to ask what her problem was, when she noticed who had bumped into her. She was stunned. She gasped in shock,

“You….”

Ari went to back away as Vaggie was about to ask how she was here, when the moth saw the figure in pursuit slithering out of the shadows. She quickly turned pale, grabbed the demoness by the injured shoulder and as she yelped in pain, hastily opened the door, and shoved her in. As she was forced inside the newcomer noticed she wasn’t alone. A younger looking demon sat there, clearly surprised at her being there. The other demon rushed in, slamming the car door, and said in a panicked snarl,

“GET US THE FUCK OUT OF HERE NOW!!!”

“Vaggie what is your iss--” As the other demon looked out the rear window, she froze as they sped away from the figure to see him dementedly smiling and waving. She added in a panicked response, “Oh…. _that_ was your issue.”

They looked at the young demon laying on the floor of the limo bleeding. The demon called Vaggie went to investigate the wound only to notice not only the angelic energy coming from the wound, but the young woman before them was healing the wounds rapidly. Vaggie gasped in shock. She looked to the other demoness and murmured in bemusement,

“Charlie…she’s healing…”

“That can’t be! It was an angelic blade, right???” Charlie inquired.

Looking at the two stunned women, she could only nod meekly, but her face radiated confusion. Angelic blade? Healing? Why were they so frightened? She wanted to ask but was hesitant to. Charlie merely stared in wonder as the wound healed but left a visible scar on her shoulder. Vaggie gently, but quickly grabbed her, and demanded in shock,

“Who are you!? And how did you do that…. that thing to Alastor!?”

Charlie gasped. She grabbed the strange demon before her in excitement. Ari flinched, for the injury was still fresh and mildly hurting. Charlie bounced up and down, her eyes practically shining with stars. She said with an excited squeal,

“Oh, my GOD!! YOU ACTUALLY EXIST!”

“Ahhhh! P-Please let go!” Ari mildly cried out in a bit of pain.

She hesitated. The demoness Charlie just said that she existed…Like she was an anomaly. Was she not supposed to? Confused, Ari looked at her and the demon Vaggie, who was still fixing her an expectant glare. She sighed in a little exasperation and responded,

“I-I don’t know! I’m so brandy new I should be in a box; no pun intended. And my name is Ari….”

She hesitated at the fullness of her name. She didn’t want that revealed. _But not giving them your name could be death. Do you want the Radio Demon or that freakshow to find you?_ The same voice from earlier asked with rationale. Ari settled on her new name. She looked to them both and said quickly,

“Yeah, my name is Ari!” Looking on as the limo drove away, she asked with a soft look, “What happened a month ago…?”

“You arrived during the worst time in Hell. It’s called an extermination. It’s when heaven comes down to quell the population. How did you wind up here anyway?” Charlie asked gingerly.

_Oh shit, another question I don’t want to answer!_ She thought angrily. She thought for a bit, and finally decided to tell something to not keep them waiting. Sighing, Ari lightly answered,

“All I remember is falling…that’s it.”

Charlie looked away at the conclusion of her sentence. She knew Ari was hiding something but didn’t press the issue for now. Hearing a soft thud of a hardened surface hitting the seat twice over, Charlie jumped at the noises, and Ari alerted on them. Standing up a little bit, she gasped happily,

“My violin!!! My sabre!”

Charlie was surprised. Usually not many objects follow owners to Hell. _Ari must’ve been really attached to them…_ she thought in musing. She looked to Vaggie, who was equally as stunned. However, she cleared her throat. She was going to ask Ari about her pursuer, but her original reason for coming out loomed in her thoughts.

“Well, our mission was a dud. We couldn’t find any other recruits…Now what?”

“We go back to the Hotel…Which reminds me! Ari,” Charlie started. Looking at Ari’s face, she asked with an excited grin, “Want a possible chance of redemption?”

Ari listened as she explained the Hotel and its mission. Ari felt a pleased grin cross her face; she found what she was looking for! She purely smiled, and said with a happy chirp,

“Sure, I’ll stay!”

“Great! Let’s go back then and get you squared away!” Charlie said with glee.

The limo drove for an hour, but during that time, Ari looked around. Hell was like New York City on overdrive. Even the other drivers were like that. The driver up front was cursing the other drivers, insulting everything from their mother’s poor life choices to their car color. Ari could only wonder what her bible schoolteacher would say if they saw this. So much for fire and brimstone. They drove up to a building that looked like a Jenga game gone wrong. She opened the car door and walked out. She walked to the hotel’s door, walked into the entrance hall, only to be greeted by a tall androgynous spider demon. Dressed in a risqué manner with pink gloves on each hand (and there were four), he smirked at Ari. He purred impishly,

“Hey, toots! Welcome to the Hotel!”


	4. A Mild Status Quo

It was a little uncomfortable to say the least at the Hotel at first.

The spider demon known as Angel Dust had made it his sole mission to make Ari uncomfortable. She and the infamous porn star were the only residents there…it made Ari wish there was someone else Angel would harass. But hearing the cat demon Husk and he banter about the mysterious Alastor made her feel nervous. He hadn’t been to the hotel in a couple of days. As she had learned, Alastor was the Radio Demon…. the one she saved from death that fateful night all that month ago.

Vaggie wasn’t much help either. She wanted to know how Ari, a demon, could heal by touch. Ari still couldn’t figure out how she had done it and would try to tell the tempestuous moth she didn’t know. Vaggie didn’t buy it, and eventually Charlie would get her lover off of Ari’s back. Today was fairly quiet. She was helping the cyclops Niffty clean when she heard the carrion crows announce the arrival of two demons…A strong one, and another they feared. Ari stiffened; was it the doctor? A soft three tapped knock sounded into the hotel. Charlie opened the door and a happy gasp, and a jumped hug greeted Canis and Lucifer. Lucifer exclaimed happily about seeing his little Hellion, and he looked outside. The massive murder of carrion crows leering at him was enough to drive a little hesitancy into his fortitude. Even Canis looked a little uncomfortable. He felt his smile grow a little concerned, and he asked Charlie sincerely,

“Charlie my dear, did you invite the carrion crowns?”  
  
“No, father! They came with my new patron! Let me go get her!”

Ari was just down the hall when Charlie grabbed her and pulled her to the foyer. Ari tensed as she saw Canis, and Lucifer’s eyes went wide, and he looked stunned but... _excited_ to see her. _Father curse me, it IS a Church Grimm….._ he thought excitedly. He looked to the window where a harsh rapping noise echoed. Ari opened the window, and Eragon flew onto her shoulder. Lucifer almost stopped dead in his tracks. She had befriended the carrion crows?! No one could usually get this close to them! Ari crooned softly to the corvid, who upon glance at Lucifer nuzzled Ari and flew back to the nest. To say he was intrigued would be a slight lie; Lucifer was floored at how the month of her time here, the Church Grimm had done something completely unprecedented. He circled around Ari while lightly twirling his apple staff, and his eyes took her in. He analyzed every little scar, every little detail of this mercifully rare demonic entity and when he returned to her face, he took in her eyes. Black and silver, like the moon lingering in the midnight sky. So untypical for a demon of Hell….Especially a demon created from suicide.

But so typical of her type.

“Charlie darling, how long has she been here?” Lucifer asked sweetly.

“About two days!” Charlie chirped.

Ari felt hesitant as she watched the King of Hell’s yellow eyes gleam. He looked like he had uncovered a diamond…. Or a land mine that was active. Ari couldn’t read his face, and that made her wonder why he felt like he was nervous yet intrigued. Lucifer smiled, but he knew. That damned entity that lingered in the shadows was more active than normal. The number of demons winding up poisoned and brutally murdered spoke of it but dared not fully utter its name. The overlords old enough to remember were getting spooked; they all had heard that a Church Grimm was in Hell, and that the evil lingering knew it could take its chance.

He knew the Grimm should be destroyed; it was Hell’s only chance of survival against that abomination. But now, he couldn’t kill it. His daughter, his Hellion had grown fond of it. Was he risking a bet that could possibly destroy his realm? Yes. Would he hurt and jade his only child? He would let Hell burn to its foundations first. It was settled. As long as the Grimm stayed in the Hotel, she should be fine. After all, that pit’s current host knew better than tread here on _his_ territory.

“Charlie, I am very titillated you have another patron! I must depart; the Overlords are being…well, they’re being them! I will see you shortly, my little apple!” he sang out.

He hugged Charlie and walked out to his limo. He looked to Canis, and his face became serious. Canis, the Hound of the Magne Family, knew that face very well. He had seen it himself many times since his arrival and the beginnings of is servitude during the Crusades. He remembered the first time Lucifer was brought a Church Grimm….and the first pattern would always occur for another 800 years. They would always be the same; poisoned catatonic on belladonna and datura and corrupted by an evil that made Canis tremble slightly at the memory. The Grimm was always destroyed, and if they weren’t brought to Lucifer the Overlords took it upon themselves…After years of weeding them out, he and everyone else thought them to be extinct. Canis opened the door to the car, and as Lucifer slipped in, he growled with what sounded like anger and what was remarkably like slight fear,

“Make sure the Grimm does _not_ leave the Hotel….It already knows she’s here, and is seeking her out. Make sure she doesn’t fall into its hands.”

“As you wish, Lord Lucifer. Please, extend my regards to Lady Lilith and the Lords of Hell.” Canis responded humbly.

Lucifer nodded, and Canis shut the door as the limo sped away into Pentagram City.

* * *

Ari took her sabre that night and was practicing her footwork. Lightweight, and sharp, she made minimal yet slight noise as she added blade work in. Hours of practice, and she felt her muscles rejoice at the old routine. She missed fencing and dancing. After all, it was how she kept in shape for violin. She heard the door creak open, but figuring it was Angel, she ignored it. She continued to practice, her muscles twitching with whip cord power and strength.

Vaggie watched in shock. She had seen this demon’s graceful movements in the hotel…Now she knew why they were there. She smiled; she thought Ari wouldn’t be the fighting type. After all, when she and Canis cornered her with Alastor…Her thoughts softened a little bit towards Ari as she shut the door. She heard Canis behind her, which considering how silent he was capable of moving was a miracle. Vaggie rolled her eyes and growled with an exasperated tone in a hushed whisper,

“What d’you want, Canis?”

“Just to be sure the new patient hasn’t decided to fly.” Canis responded softly.

“She’s practicing fencing.” Vaggie said matter-of-factly.

Canis raised a brow. He snuck the door open only to go analytical. She was _not_ confrontational in the alleyway. Her form was pristine, her footing strong…Why hadn’t he seen the swordsman quality in her before? Was it because she was comfortable and not feeling she was being observed…? He sighed and shut the door gingerly, leaving the Church Grimm to her form and her saber for the night.


End file.
